Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed ‘Embarrassing’ Russian Weakness

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed 'Embarrassing' Russian Weakness

Brit Hume said on Fox News Monday that Ukraine's surprise strike on Russia's strategic bomber fleet not only shattered Moscow's air capabilities but also exposed a lapse in Russian intelligence and defense preparedness. Ukrainelauncheda surprise drone attack that destroyed nearly a third of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in a single day, in an operation personally overseen by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after 18 months of secret planning. During an appearance on "Special Report with Bret Baier," Hume pointed out what he said were the broader implications of the attack. "Yeah, it certainly does establish that this country, whose president was being told at the White House that he didn't have any cards to play, that he apparently has quite a few cards to play, including this daring attack," Hume said when asked about the element of surprise and the embarrassment it caused for the Russians. Hume pointed to this latest operation as proof that Ukraine remains capable of inflicting serious damage despite Russia's perceived military dominance. WATCH: "If the Ukrainians can be believed [to have] wiped out about 30 to 40% of Russia's strategic bombing force [then] that's a major setback for Russia. It is an embarrassing intelligence failure," Hume said. Hume said he credited Ukraine's ingenuity and suggested their military continues to innovate in ways that catch Russian forces off guard.(RELATED: Brit Hume Says Trump Deal With Iran Only Works Under One Condition) "[It's] an embarrassing defense failure, and who knows what else the Ukrainians who have proved pretty ingenious may have up their sleeves," Hume said. A week before Ukraine's surprise attack, Russialaunchedits largest drone assault of the war, unleashing 355 drones across Ukraine just hours after President Donald Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he was "not happy" with the ongoing attacks. Ukrainian officials said the strike marked the most extensive aerial offensive since the conflict began in 2022. Trump has mademultipleattemptsto broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, most recentlycallingPutin on May 19 to restart negotiations. Just days earlier, both sides carried out the largest prisoner swap of the war, exchanging 1,000 detainees each. They agreed to begin drafting terms for future talks. Whilenegotiationsmove forward, Russian forces continue to push deeper into Ukrainian territory and target critical infrastructure with drone and missile strikes. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter's byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contactlicensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

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June 02, 2025

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed ‘Embarrassing’ Russian Weakness

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed 'Embarrassing' Russian Weakness Brit Hume said on Fox News Monday that Ukraine's surprise strike ...

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Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Shares rose early Tuesday in Asia after U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to records, while oil prices extended gains. Beijing and Washington dialed back trade friction as the U.S. extended exemptions fortariffson some Chinese goods, including solar manufacturing equipment, that U.S. industries rely on for their own production. The U.S. Trade Representative extended those exemptions, which were due to expire on May 31, by three months through Aug. 31. Still,China criticized the U.S.on Monday over moves it alleged harmed Chinese interests, including issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and planning to revoke Chinese student visas. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.1% to 23,417.39, while the Shanghai Composite index added 0.3% to 3,356.36. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 advanced 0.6% to 37,683.19. South Korean markets were closed fora snap presidential electiontriggered by the ouster ofYoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who now faces an explosivetrial on rebellion chargesover his short-lived imposition ofmartial lawin December. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.7% to 8,475.50. In Taiwan, the Taiex gained 1.4%. On Monday, U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to their records following astellar May, Wall Street's best month since 2023. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,935.94 after erasing an early loss from the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% to 42,305.48. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7% to 19,242.61. Indexes had fallen close to 1% in the morning following some discouraging updates on U.S. manufacturing.President Donald Trumphas been warning that U.S. businesses and households could feel some pain as he tries to use tariffs to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the country, and theiron-and-off rollouthas created lots of uncertainty. But stocks rallied back as the day progressed. Nvidia climbed 1.7%, and Meta Platforms rose 3.6%, for example. Oil prices have gained as attacks by Ukraine in Russiaraise uncertainty about the flow of oil and gas around the world. Early Tuesday, U.S. benchmark crude oil was up 62 cents at $63.14 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 57 cents to $65.19 per barrel. Markets took in stride fresh salvos between the world's two largest economies, just a few weeks afterthe United States and China had agreed to pausemany of their tariffs that had threatened to drag the economy into a recession. That followedPresident Donald Trump'saccusation at the end of last week, where he said China was not living up to its end of the agreement that paused their tariffs against each other. Trump on Fridaytold Pennsylvania steelworkershe's doubling thetariff on steel importsto 50% to protect their industry, a dramatic increase that could further push up prices for a metal used to make housing, autos and other goods. That helped stocks of U.S. steelmakers climb. Nucor jumped 10.1%, and Steel Dynamics rallied 10.3%. On the losing side of Wall Street were automakers and other heavy users of steel and aluminum. Ford fell 3.9%, and General Motors reversed by 3.9%. Lyra Therapeutics soared nearly 311% for one of the market's biggest gains after reporting positive late-stage trial results of an implant to treat chronic sinus inflammation in some patients. In the bond market, Treasury yields rose asworries continue about how much debt the U.S. government will pile ondue to plans to cut taxes and increase the deficit. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.44% from 4.41% late Friday and from just 4.01% roughly two months ago. That's a notable move for the bond market. Besides making it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, such increases in Treasury yields can deter investors from paying high prices for stocks and other investments. Yields had dipped briefly in the morning, before rallying back, following the updates on manufacturing, which suggested that effects of Trump's tariffs are taking root in the economy. A report from S&P Global on manufacturing came in better than expected, though uncertainty caused by tariffs has worries high about supplier delays and rising prices. Also early Tuesday, the dollar rose to 143.10 Japanese yen from 142.71 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1438 from $1.1443. ___ AP Business Writers Stan Choe and Matt Ott contributed.

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June 02, 2025

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions Shares rose early Tuesday in Asia after U.S. stock indexes dr...

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Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden

Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden

By Andrew Goudsward, Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A senior official in Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's Justice Department told staff on Monday that he has been directed to investigate clemency granted by Democrat Joe Biden in the waning days of his presidency to members of his family and death row inmates. Ed Martin, the Justice Department's pardon attorney, wrote in an email seen by Reuters that the investigation involves whether Biden "was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means." An autopen is a device used to automatically affix a signature to a document. Trump and his supporters have made a variety of unfounded claims that Biden's use of the device while president invalidated his actions or suggested that he was not fully aware of these actions. It is not known whether Biden used autopen on pardons. The email stated that Martin's investigation is focused on preemptive pardons Biden issued to several members of his family and clemency that spared 37 federal inmates from the death penalty, converting their sentences to life in prison. Just before he relinquished the presidency to Trump on January 20, Biden pardoned five members of his family, saying he wanted to protect them from future politically motivated investigations. The pardons went to Biden's siblings James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Biden on December 1 pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges. Martin's email did not specify which pardons of Biden family members were being investigated. It also did not make clear who directed Martin to launch the investigation. A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Biden spokesperson did not immediately provide comment. The U.S. Constitution gives the president broad power to issue pardons to wipe away federal criminal convictions or commutations to modify sentences. Trump himself has made extensive use of executive clemency. For instance, he granted clemency on January 20 to all of the nearly 1,600 of his supporters who faced criminal charges in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, which was a failed attempt to prevent congressional certification of Biden's 2020 election victory over Trump. Martin previously served as the interim U.S. attorney in Washington before his nomination for that post foundered in the Senate. Martin told reporters last month that he viewed the presidential pardon power as "plenary," meaning it is absolute. "If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don't think that that's necessarily a problem," Martin said during a May 13 press conference, adding that he still felt the Biden pardons warranted scrutiny. The investigation appears designed to use the Justice Department to amplify questions about Biden's health and mental acuity, a conversation that has intensified in recent weeks following his cancer diagnosis and a new book revealing Democratic concerns last year about Biden's condition. Biden, who is 82, last year dropped his reelection bid amid questions about his mental acuity after a disastrous presidential debate performance. Biden was the oldest person to serve as U.S. president, and Trump is the second oldest. Biden's closest aides have dismissed those concerns, saying Biden was fully capable of making important decisions. No evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden did not intend to issue the pardons. In addition, a Justice Department memo from 2005 found it was legitimate for a subordinate to use an autopen for the president's signature. (Reporting by Andrew Goudsward and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone)

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June 02, 2025

Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden

Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden By Andrew Goudsward, Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A senior official...

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Colorado attack suspect charged with assault, use of explosives

Colorado attack suspect charged with assault, use of explosives

By Patrick Wingrove and Rich McKay (Reuters) -A suspect in an attack on a pro-Israeli rally in Colorado that injured eight people was being held on Monday on an array of charges, including assault and the use of explosives, in lieu of a $10-million bail, according to Boulder County records. The posted list of felony charges against suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, in the attack on Sunday also includes charges of murder in the first degree, although police in the city of Boulder have said on social media that no victims died in the attack. Authorities could not be reached immediately to clarify. Witnesses reported the suspect used a makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into the crowd. He was heard to yell "Free Palestine" during the attack, according to the FBI, in what the agency called a "targeted terror attack." Four women and four men between 52 and 88 years of age were transported to hospitals after the attack, Boulder Police said. The attack took place on the Pearl Street Mall, a popular pedestrian shopping district near the University of Colorado, during an event organized by Run for Their Lives, an organization devoted to drawing attention to the hostages seized in the aftermath of Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel. Rabbi Yisroel Wilhelm, the Chabad director at the University of Colorado, Boulder, told CBS Colorado that the 88-year-old victim was a Holocaust refugee who fled Europe. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Soliman had entered the country in August 2022 on a tourist visa that expired in February 2023. He filed for asylum in September 2022. "The suspect, Mohamed Soliman, is illegally in our country," the spokesperson said. The FBI raided and searched Soliman's home in El Paso County, Colorado, the agency said on social media. "As this is an ongoing investigation, no additional information is available at this time." The attack in Boulder was the latest act of violence aimed at Jewish Americans linked to outrage over Israel's escalating military offensive in Gaza. It followed the fatal shooting of two Israel Embassy aides that took place outside Washington's Capital Jewish Museum last month. Ron Halber, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said after the shooting there was a question of how far security perimeters outside Jewish institutions should extend. Boulder Police said they would hold a press conference later on Monday to discuss details of the Colorado attack. The Denver office of the FBI, which is handling the case, did not immediately respond to emails or phone calls seeking clarification on the homicide charges or other details in the case. Officials from the Boulder County Jail, Boulder Police and Boulder County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to inquiries. (Reporting by Patrick Wingrove, Rich McKay, Jasper Ward, Raphael Satter, Mark Makela, Kristina Cooke and Steve Gorman; Writing by Patrick WingroveEditing by Rod Nickel)

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June 02, 2025

Colorado attack suspect charged with assault, use of explosives

Colorado attack suspect charged with assault, use of explosives By Patrick Wingrove and Rich McKay (Reuters) -A suspect in an attack on a p...

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John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor

John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor

ATLANTA (AP) — John Kennedy, the top-ranking Republican in Georgia's state Senate, on Monday joined a growing field of GOP candidates seeking to become the state's next lieutenant governor in 2026. Kennedy, a Macon lawyer, is banking on the support of Georgia's business community after helping pass a law this yearlimiting lawsuits and civil verdicts. Burt Jones, the current Republican lieutenant governor,is expected to run for governornext year instead of seeking reelection. He's could announce his candidacy later this summer. Kennedy was first elected to the state Senate in 2014. Majority Republicanselected him president pro tem, the No. 2 position in the Senate, in 2023. Before that, Kennedy had been chair of the majority caucus and led the redrawing of legislative and congressional districts after the 2020 Census, securing Republican majorities. Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch of Dahlonegaannounced last monththat he is running for lieutenant governor, saying he would model his candidacy onPresident Donald Trump. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery of Vidalia is raising money for a possible bid. Other Republicans could seek the office as well, including state Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming. Kennedy didn't mention Trump in his announcement, saying his top priorities as lieutenant governor would be a strong economy, education and public safety. "Georgians can be confident that my leadership will be focused on delivering conservative results, not empty rhetoric," Kennedy said in a statement. "And I know that by working together, we will keep Georgia growing, keep Georgia learning and keep Georgia safe." This year, Kennedy sponsored a law that is meant to curb the number of student absences in schools. Like the onetime president, Kennedy's initials are JFK. But this 59-year-old Kennedy, born less than two years after the president was assassinated, is unrelated and bears the middle name of Flanders. Georgia's lieutenant governor presides over Senate sessions, but senators decide how much power the official has. When senators agree, lieutenant governors can be influential. As president pro tem, Kennedy already works with Jones to set the agenda for the Senate. On the Democratic side, the only declared candidate isstate Sen. Josh McLaurinof Sandy Springs.

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June 02, 2025

John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor

John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor ATLANTA (AP) — John Kennedy, the top-ranking Republica...

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